"Cenote" (pronounced, say-no-TAY) in modern Spanish means "natural (fresh-water) well." Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, the extreme southeastern tip of Mexico where the major resort areas of Cancun, Cozumel, and Playa del Carmen are found, is an area rich with Cenotes that have been providing scuba divers from around the world access to unparalleled cave diving experiences for the past 20 years.
The Cenotes are entrances to caverns that take you into the Yucatan Peninsula's unique system of fresh-water underground rivers. In the Yucatan there are over 6000 Cenotes but only 1400 of these, consisting of approximately 400 km (250 miles) of underground rivers, have actually been explored and registered. The water in the Cenotes is warm year round (approximately 24-deg. C [76-deg F]). The water in the underground rivers normally allows you a visibility of an incredible 90 meters (300 feet) and within the caverns and caves, columns, stalagmites, stalactites, small fish, and natural wonders abound.
Every area of the Yucatan Peninsula claims to be the best, but going on the theory that "more is better", you might want to explore the area between Puerto Morelos (located south of Cancun on Hwy 307) and Tres Bocas (19 kilometers [12 miles] to the west of Puerto Morelos). This area has over 100 Cenotes that provide a wide variety of diving opportunities, and there are signs (in English) along the way that point out the locations of many of them.
Tres Bocas is highly recommended as the best dive site in the region. Tres Bocas translates to "three mouths", so it will be no surprise to learn that the Tres Bocas Ranch has three Cenotes on the property. One connote is located just a short walk from the ranch's parking area, but the other two require a lengthy hike and the company of a competent guide. The Cenotes at Tres Bocas are approximately 38 meters (127 feet) deep with crystal clear water and all the natural wonders you can expect with cenote diving.
Average annual temperatures in the Yucatan Peninsula area range from 25-deg. C (77-deg F) to 30-deg. C (86-deg. F). Cenotes water temperature is approximately 24-deg. C (76-deg. F) year-round. Offshore water temperatures range from 26-deg. C (78-deg. F) in January to 29-deg. C (84-deg. F) in August. The rainy season in the Yucatan is generally from May through November.
The Cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula are natural wonders that no diver will want to miss, and every diver will remember. To preserve these treasures, bring cameras, take home memories, and leave nothing but bubbles.
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